Psoriasis is a common disease that affect may people. Hereditary factors are important. If one parent has psoriasis, the risk for the child is about 25% and if both parents have psoriasis there is a risk of about 60-70%. Drugs thought to precipitate or Worsen psoriasis include alcohol and, in some patients, beta-blocker and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents.
Psoriasis is characterized by thickened, erythematous, well-demarcated areas of skin covered by silvery scales. The extent of involvement ranges from isolated, small lesions to the whole body surface. There are several clinical forms of psoriasis and it change qualitatively from stable plaque lesions to an unstable form typified by eruptive inflammatory lesions.
Psoriasis is not a static disease: seasonal fluctuations, spontaneous remission, and physical and emotional well-being all affect the disease and hence its management. Most patients with localized, plaque-type psoriasis are able manage their disease at home with topical therapy with corticosteroid creams and ointments, which sometimes have serious side effects do to the action of the steroids. For more widespread forms, some form of phototherapy, either alone or combined with topical therapy is usually need. In resistant psoriasis, photo chemotherapy or systemic therapy may be indicated.